WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE RESCUING?

Responsible rescuing does not just entail feeding that stray animal or taking that animal into your home.

We are always grateful that there are kindhearted, good Samaritans who are willing to feed stray cats and dogs, or take in stray cats or dogs that they see on the streets who are in need of help.

Some Tips for Rescuers:

Assess first one's capacity to assume and commit to the responsibilities of a good rescuer before taking in a rescue -- do you have the time, patience, safe and ample space, resources and budget not only for food but for vet care? Do you have the budget to neuter/spay (kapon) your rescue?

Annual vet checkup and routine vaccination should be a standard (not optional) practice among responsible pet owners, and they should be able to provide this for their rescues as well. Also consider if you have the means to provide medical care in case 1,2 or all of the pets get sick at once.

SPAY/NEUTER all pets and rescues who are 6-months old and older to prevent them from multiplying to a number you cannot provide for.

FOSTERING (TEMPORARILY KEEPING) their rescue in their home is common practice, especially if one approaches an animal welfare org that cannot admit new animals into a full shelter with strict Admission policies and a quarantine protocol that will protect the health and general welfare of the current shelter animals

Keep them in a SECURE AREA and do not allow them to wander freely outside of the home/property. Attach a leash if you need to bring them out or have them pee/poo.

Only take in the rescue that you can manage and can afford to responsibly care for. Do not feed or rescue and expect/demand an NGO to take over the responsibility.

We have observed an alarming trend lately of people who habitually rescue on impulse without taking into consideration their limitations (including space), without having their pets and rescues spayed/neutered early on such that the animals mate and breed until they're in over their heads with the 'zoo' they ended up with.

In the long run these "rescuers" end up calling groups like PAWS to surrender their rescues/pets or asking PAWS to get them treated or spayed/neutered for free - not knowing that by doing so, they are inadvertently depriving other animals in distress from the funds that could have afforded PAWS to extend free or charity rates to genuine low-income pet owners and rescue cases.

If one chooses to ask an animal welfare NGO like PAWS for help, be ready to provide COMPLETE INFORMATION and be willing to foster or find a fosterer in your initial report (read FAQ: What to do when I see rescues/stray emergencies / how to admit this poor weak animal into the shelter). Delays in rescuing a stray animal in need is usually because the informant/concerned citizen is not cooperative, does not provide complete info, does not inform PAWS of the exact location, is not willing to foster or find a fosterer.

Sadly, PAWS cannot solve all problems regarding stray dogs and cannot take in all strays. Thus, we focus on education efforts so that pet owners will not contribute to the stray population, nor will they abandon their pets.